Birthday Boy
by Sway2
Summary: Chloe ponders what to get Lex for his birthday.


Birthday Boy  
  
Sway  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. There, I said it.  
  
Summary: Chloe ponders what to get Lex for his birthday. (I'm working on the assumption that Lex is turning 22 -I hate the fact that he's more likely turning 23, so he's younger here- and lets face it, I'm the author, what are you gonna do?) This is just a short 1/1 fic that can either be interpreted as Chlex romance or friendship. Depends on how you define friendship.  
  
A/N: This isn't the best piece, but I was taken on a 'family holiday' (it was more like a glorified business trip) for a week and I needed to do something to keep me away from the fam, and thus sane. not that it worked.  
  
  
  
When Chloe walked into the Talon in the direction of her favourite chair, she saw that it was already occupied. Okay, it was Clark, but it was still rude. Then she observed the fact that he looked distraught and was shrugging, his personal cheerleader Lana was shaking her head and Pete was staring off into space, apparently not concerned with whatever was plaguing the couple.  
  
Chloe took a breath and charged through the crowd to reach her friends. "Hey guys, what's going on?"  
  
Pete snapped to attention and a smile played on his lips. "Can I just take a second to appreciate that sentence? Chloe, the all-knowing investigative reporter, just asked what was going on."  
  
"No, you may not." Chloe said sitting in the chair beside him in a huff. "Now spill."  
  
"Luthor's birthday is in 4 days and everyone -with the exception of me- is wondering what to get him." Pete filled in.  
  
"Your hatred of Lex is duly noted Pete. Years ago noted." Chloe rolled her eyes.  
  
"What do you get the man that has everything?" Lana asked, shaking her head.  
  
"He's done so much for me, you know?" Clark said. "He's given me." he looked at Lana, his new girlfriend thanks to Lex Luthor's magical ways, ".advice. And he tried to give the family anything and everything to help out at the farm. But now that its time to give back. I don't know what to get him."  
  
"I say you give him something that you'd give anyone else. There's even a saying for it. 'It's the thought that counts.' It's popular for a reason, and not only does it apply to those sweaters we get from our grandma's, it applies to everyone else too." Chloe said, not seeing the reason for Clarks concealed panic. So the guy was near royalty, it's not like he deserves special treatment and the fear of the collective town, he's not even that scary in person.  
  
"Hello everyone." Lex's voice sounded from behind Chloe's back and she jumped. "Miss Sullivan did I scare you?"  
  
"No." she lied.  
  
"I could have sworn you jumped." Lex smirked.  
  
"Get your eyes checked." Chloe muttered. "I'll be back. I need coffee." She said getting up and walking away from him.  
  
Lex watched her leave and sat in her seat. "Is she okay?" he asked, not too concerned, but it was more of a conversation piece. It was either that or discuss the look of distaste that was currently occupying Pete's face.  
  
"She's fine." Clark responded. "Tell us what you want for your birthday."  
  
"I've told you. I'm not celebrating my birthday. There is no need to get me anything." Lex told him.  
  
"We're friends. Its what friends do." Lana pleaded. "Anything, please."  
  
"There is nothing that I want, but if you can't think of anything, it would be more than enough for you to just stop by my place, I'll organise something." Lex shrugged.  
  
"Isn't the point of a birthday to have somebody else organise 'something'?" Chloe asked, returning to the table to await the arrival of her coffee. "Your in my seat." She told Lex.  
  
"And." Lex smirked up at her.  
  
"Move or I'll sit in your lap."  
  
Lex smirked and spread his arms.  
  
"Funny. You're a funny man." Chloe rolled her eyes and pulled up a chair from another table.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe sat at home, watching a biography on Audrey Hepburn on late night TV on the eve of Lex's birthday. There were two reasons she was awake, 1, a side effect of too much coffee, and 2, the question of what to get Lex was bugging her. Sure, Pete would sleep easy knowing that he got Lex nothing, but he hadn't had countless conversations with Lex over coffee discussing Nietzsche's influence on the world today, or Shakespeare's underlying themes in his plays. So she couldn't just get him nothing. 'But the party's tomorrow!' her mind screamed. 'You couldn't of thought about it when the shops were *open*?!?!'  
  
"Think, Chloe, think." she said, pacing. "Clarks organised the party to start at 11. Smallville's garden variety of shops isn't gonna cut it. I could get something in Metropolis. if I woke up at 5 in the morning. Not even *Joel from Good Charlotte* could get me up at that hour. Umm. Something he hasn't got." Chloe tried to think back to when he gave her a tour of the manor, as an apology for their episode of How- Not -To- End- An -Interview.  
  
"A picture of all of us? Nah, he doesn't love us that much. A scrap book of his life? No need to make the boy cry. It has to have significance, but nothing that he would ever get for himself." Chloe thought out loud. It dawned on her. "Sincere, can't be bought - well it could be then it wouldn't be sincere, and he'd feel stupid for paying for it. perfect." Chloe turned off the TV and went to bed with a relieved sigh.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Happy birthday Lex!!" Chloe and Lana squealed when he opened the door.  
  
Pete stepped inside with a quiet "Yeah, happy birthday man." And a handshake.  
  
Clark was already inside with most of the invited guests of Smallville, and he grinned happily when the three entered the house. "It's about time!"  
  
"Lana had to wrap her present." Pete rolled his eyes.  
  
Lex pretended not to notice the fact Chloe didn't have a package in her hands and her name was absent from Lana's card, when even Pete's was on there. He put Lana's present away from the rest of the towns, and with Clarks. As he was making his way back to the guests, Chloe came up beside him. "Miss Sullivan." He smirked.  
  
"Come on, if I can call you Lex, I'm sure you can manage to call me Chloe." She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well then *Chloe* was there something on your mind?" Lex asked.  
  
"Actually, I wanted to give you your present." She smiled timidly. "I didn't know what to get you, and I wanted it to be special, you know, not something that's going to end up in the fireplace after the party, so." she smiled at him and wrapped her arms around him.  
  
Slightly in shock, Lex responded in kind, and the pair stood for a few long seconds before she pulled away. "Happy birthday Lex." She whispered and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
Lex took her hand before she could fully depart. "Be my date for the party."  
  
"Sure." Chloe smiled and linked her fingers with his as they walked back to the party together, ignoring the gaping stares of the guests and their friends.  
  
The End 


End file.
